Oil-gage signal and circuit-breaker



H. M4 mCKEnsoN. l OIL GAGE SIGNAL AND CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIO, 19H.

1 ,305,963 Patened June 3, 1919.

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H. M. DICKERSON.

OIL GAGE SIGNAL AND CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLICATION F1151) 111AY10,1911.

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HERBERT M. DICKERSON, 0F EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF TW'ENTY-TWO AND ONE-HALF ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO CHARLES S. WIGGINTON AND 'SEVENTY-SEVEN AND ONE-HALF ONE-HUN- DREDTHS T0 ADOLPH C. FROELICH, BOTH OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

OIL-GAGE SIGNAL AND CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented June 3, 1919.

I Application led May 10, 1917. Serial No. 167,692.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT M. DICKER- soN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Evansville, in the county ot' Vandenburg and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful ll'npiiovements in Oil-Gage Signals and Circuit- Breakers, of which the following is a speciication.

The presentinvention relates 'to 'oil gages, and has particular reference to an oil gage for application to the crank cases of internal combustion engines and other machinery, for indicating the surface level of the lubricant therein.

lAn object of the present invention is to provide an oil gage of this character with means for actuating a signal when the sur-- face level of thel oil drops below a predetermined point, and for subsequently breaking` a circuit rendering the machine inoperative when the supply of the lubricant has dropped below a safe level.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an oil gage which may be readily attached to the crank cases of internal combustion engines and the like, without drilling the crank cases, or pro'vid- `ing the same with any additions or peculiar formations, Ithe oil gage attachment of this invention being adapted to be applied to the crank case where the usual drain plug is now employed, and having a drain plug so located and mounted on the device that it may be employed for draining the crank case and also the interior of the device.

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part described, and in part understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 isa diagrammatic view of the crank case of' an internal combustion engine and the main circuit controlling the operation of the engine, the view disclosing in section and in diagram the oil gage and branch circuit controlled thereby constructed and arranged according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, enlarged, through the float cylinder of the improved oil gage.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing in vertical section a portion of the float cylinder, with thecontacts and ciry 10 which may be cylindrical inv form and' closed at its upper end by a cap 11 provided with a bushing 12 at its central portion forming a guide for the vertically movable rod 13 of a float 14: which is arranged in the lowenend of the casing or cylinder 10.

A T-coupling 15 is connected at its shank portion with the lower yend of the casing l0, has a removable drainage plug 16 in one end, and is provided with a connecting pipe 17 extending from the opposite end of the T-coupling 15. The outer end of the pipe 17 `is adapted to be screwed or otherwise suitably secured in the usual drain opening of the crank case A, and to receive oil from the crank case and direct the oil into the cylinder 10. The cylinder 10 is adapted to be mounted at one side or one end et' the crank case A in any convenient manner, and the pipe 17 serves as a source ofl intercommunication between the crank case and the casing to maintain the surface level of the oil at an equal height in both of these chambers.

The drain plug 16, as will be noted from Fig. 1, is in axial alinement with the pipe 17, so that upon removal of the plug 16, access may be readily had to the pipe 17 for cleansing outJ the ysame should sediment accumulate in the bottom of the crank case A and in the pipe 17.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing, there is shown a slight modiiication in the connection between the casing 10 andthe T-coupling 15. In this 18 extends upwardly ifrom the shank of the -T-coupling 15 and is secured through the vbottom of the casing 10. This length of pipe is employed where the oil gage of this invention is adapted to be applied to tanks or containers wherein the oil is maintained at a relatively high surface level.

In Fig. l, there is shown diagran'unatically the -main circuit portion of the ignition control of an internal combustion engine, and wherein B designates an exciter or source of current supply which is grounded in the usual manner in the frame of an automobile. A wire or lead 19 extends from the exciter B and has connection with a pair of vertically spaced-apart contacts 2O and 21 which project through one wall of the casing or cylinder 10, and which are 'inclosed in bushings 22 of insulating material. The outer ends of the contacts 20 and 21 are in the form of binding posts provided with nuts or the like for securing the' terminals ofthe wire 19 to the contacts.

At the diametrically opposed side of the casing 10 is arranged a second pair of vertically spaced-apart contacts 23 and 24, the latter contact being the upper one and being mounted in a `bushing 25 of insulating material which projects through the adjacent side of the casing 10. The contact 23, however, isin electrical contact with the casing and is thus grounded therethrough.` For the purpose of insuring the grounding of the contact 23, a wire 2G may be connected to the outer end thereof and led to the frame or any other ground point. The insulated contact 24 is connected at its outer end' to a wire 27 which vis grounded through a signal device 28, such as a lan'lp.

The lower pair of contacts 20 and 23 are relatively long and project to a consider1w able eXtent linto the casing 10, and lie in substantially the same horizontal plane. The upper pair of contacts 21 and 24 are relatively short, and project but a short distance throughthe cylinder 10, and lie in a horizontal plane spaced vertically from the horizontal plane of the lower contacts 20 and 23. As shown in Fig. 4, each contact is inthe .form of a shank adapted to pass through the wall of the casing 10, and which c is threaded on its outer extremity to receive the binding nut. The inner extremity or end of the shank merges into a spade-like supporting and contacting element for a purpose which will now appear.

The float rod 13 preferably extends axially through the casing 10 and through the top thereof, the bushing 12 serving to center the rod 13 and the float 14 in the casing. Fixed to the ioat rod 13 is a circuit closer in the form of a bridge-piece 29, which may be a disk, the hubor bushing of which is adjustably secured to the ioat ered suliciently. Thus, when the plug 14- falls to a predetermined extent, the disk 29 may be so adjusted as to engage the fixed contacts 20 and 23, and thus close a circuit through the lead 19, the bridge 29vand the ground wire 26. When the circuit is thus grounded through the bridge-piece 29, the main lead C is short-circuited, and the instruments and the devices of the internal combustion engine are denergized.

The' float stem 13 is also provided with a vertically movable or slidable bridge-piece 31, connected to the stem 13 by a bushing of insulating material, which is vertically slidable upon the stem. The bridge-.piece 31 is in the form ofa disk which is relatively large and which cannot drop below the plane of the upper contacts 21 and 24.

The marginal edge of the bridge-piece 31 therefore strikes upon the inner ends of the upper contacts 21 and 24 and supports the bridge-piece and closes the circuit through the main lead 19 and the signal branch circuit 27 to energize the signal 28 and give visual warning of the lowering surface level of the oil \cont ained in the crank case A and the casing 10. Vhen the stem 13 is raised with the float 14, the lower bridge-piece 29 is irst lifted from the contacts 20 and 23, and is then brought to bear against the under side of the upper bridgepiece 31, lifting the latter from the upper contacts 21 and 24, and thus breaking the circuit through both the ground wire 26 and the signal wire 27.

In use, the signal lamp 28 may be mounted upon the dashboard or other suitable part of an automobile, to be readily observed when energized. Vhen the oil or other lubricant is poured into the crank case A, the surface level of the oil is maintained in the casing 10, and the float 14 is lifted by the oil sufficiently to disconnect the bridge-pieces 29 and 31 from the pairs of j contacts in the casing 10. The rod 13 projects above tlle cap 11 and indicates the surfacellevel of the oil contained in the crank case, and the casing 10. The stem 13 may be provided with any suitable graduations or marks to indicate the necessary depth of the oil level in the crank case.

/Vhen the engine is running, and the oil is being consumed, and as soon as the oil drops to a predetermined surface level, the fioat 14 is moved downwardly with the surface level of the oil, and irst deposits the upper bridge-piece 31 upon the upper con tacts 21 and 24,.. The bridge-piece 31 thus closes the circuit through the signal lamp 28,. and the operator is given notice that the 'surface level of the oilflis dangerously low.

If no heed is taken to the signal 28, the oil is further consumed, wasted or lost by leakage, and the float 14 drops farther in the casing 10. Such action lowers the bridgepiece 29 upon the lower contacts 20 and 23.

When this occurs, the bridge-piece 29 shunts the main circuit in the'wire C, and renders inoperative the devices and instruments connected with the internal combustion engine A which operate the latter. The internal combustion engine is thus brought to a stop,

and the main circuit thereof cannot be closed through the spark plugs and other parts of the engine until the required supply of oil is placed in the crank case A and the cylinder 10.

When it is desired to drain the crank case A and the casing 10, it is only necessary to withdraw the plug 16. When the plug 16 is removed, the pipe 17 may be readilyl cleansed, and 4foreign substances clogging the pipe may be readily removed by the in-' troduction of a suitable implement into the pipe 17.

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction of the above specifically described embodiment of the invention, without departing from the spirit thereof, being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim 1. The combination with an oil container, a casing, means intercommunicating with the lower ends of the casing and the oil container to maintain an equal surface level of the oil therein, a float in said casing, a stem rising from said fioat, an adjustably fixed contact mounted on the stem, a slidable contact mounted on the stem above the fixed contact and adapted to be normally supported thereby, and circuit terminals projecting into the casing respectively in the paths of said fixed and movable contacts, the movable contact being of greater diameter than the fixed contact, and adapted for engagement with a pair of said terminals to close a circuit therethrough, and said fixed contact being adapted to engage the remaining terminals to close a second circuit therethrough.

2. In an oil gage for internal combustion engines including a circuit closer, a crank case,V having the usual drain opening and the usual electric circuit lead, of a casing,

a pipe connecting the lower end of the casing to said drain opening of the crank case for maintaining equal surface levels of oil in the casing and crank case, a float in said casing, a rod rising from said fioat, a fixed bridgepiece on said rod, a movable bridge-piece slidable on the rod above the fixed bridgepiece and adapted to be normally supported thereby, upper and lower pairs of contacts projecting into the casing, the lower pair of contacts being of greater length than the upper contacts, and the slidable 'bridge-piece being of greater width than the fixedbridgepiece, a branch wire leading from said main lead to said upper and lower contacts at one side of the casing, a ground wire leading from the lower contact at the opposite side of the casing, and a branch wire leading from the upper contact at said opposite side of the kcasing and including a signal, said float being adapted to fall with the consumption of oil from the crank case, and to deposit said movable bridge-piece upon the upper contacts for primarily closing the circuit Athrough the signal, and finally depositing the fixed bridge-piece upon the lower contacts to close the shunt circuitv from the main circuit and render the latter inactive.

3. An oil gage for internal combustion engines, comprising in comb-ination with the oil retainer of an engine, a casing having communication with the oil retainer whereby an equal surface level of oil will be maintained in the casing and retainer, a float within the casing, a contact fixedly connected to said fioat for adjusted movement therewith, a second contact mo-vably supported by the float, and circuit terminals projecting into the casing respectively in the paths of said contacts, the movable contact being adapted for engagement with a 'pair of said terminals to close a circuit therethrough upon downward movement of the fioat, and the fixed contact adapted to engage the remaining terminal to close asecond circuit subsequent to the closing of the circuit by the movable contact.

4. An oil gage for internal combustion engines, comprising in combination with the oil retainer of an engine, a casing having communication with the oil retainer whereby an equal surface level of oil will be maintained in the casing and retainer, a float within the casing, a contact fixedly connected to said float for adjusted movement therewith, a second contact movably supported by the fioat, and circuit terminals projecting into the casing respective-ly in the paths of said contacts, the movable contact being adapted for engagement with a pair of said terminals to close a circuit therethrough upon downward movement of the fioat, the fixed contact adapted to eng-age the yremaining terminal to close a second circuit subsequent to the closing of the circuit by the movable contact, said movable Contact being held out of engagement with` the circuitterminals by saidv fixed contact while the fioat is in an upward position.

5. An oil gage for internal combustion engines, comp-rising y,in combination with the oil retainer of an engine, a casing having communication with the oil retainer whereby an equal surface level of oil Will be maintained in' the casing and retainer, a float within the casing, a Contact fiXedly connected to said float for adjusted movement therewith, a second Contact movably supported by said Heat and normally held in an inoperative position by said fixed Contact, upper and'lower pairs of circuit terminals projecting into the casing, said float being adapted to fall with the consumption of oil 10 from the retainer and to deposit said movable Contact upon the uppery terminals for primarily closing a circuit therethrough when the fixed Contact falls below the upper circuit terminals, and linally depositing the 15 fixed Contacts upon the lower terminal to close a shunt circuit therethrough.

HERBERT M. DICKERSON. 

